Four Spanish Civil Guard officers shot during anti-drugs raid in Alicante

One officer was shot in the left arm with a direct hit, while the other three were wounded by ricocheting bullets, causing injuries in various parts of the body.

All four remain in stable condition in hospital and their injuries are not life threatening, the Spanish Civil Guard said.

The agents were targeted when they began to force entry into a house in the El Moralet area of Alicante shortly before 7am on Tuesday, March 28, following a lack of response from residents.

The main target remained inside accompanied by his father, who opened fire with a hunting rifle and shot at the agents, hitting four of them. Both the father and son have been arrested as a search of the house is being carried out. Four other people have been arrested in separate locations in relation to the same operation.

Operation Sarpa was launched at the beginning of this year by the Investigation Area of the Civil Guard of San Vicente del Raspeig.

The purpose of the operation is to investigate gangs suspected of drug trafficking in the Alicante province. A recent progression saw investigators detect a suspicious shipment destined for Ireland from Alicante last Wednesday.

The package was seized and opened, with officials finding a 50-litre thermos inside that contained three and a half kilos of marijuana buds in 27 small, vacuum-sealed packages.